Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-10
ADULTERATI0N OF FOOD.

4ir. Beckwlth, Chairman of the Com
nittee on Adulteration of Food, Drinks
add Drugs Of the Ohio State Board of
Health, is out with statement that is
really alarming. He declares that the
sophistication of foods and drinks is far
greater than the public suppose Eng
land, France, Germany and other Euro
pean States were long ago driven to severe
legislation to check the evil, and while
american States have done something in
that direction, there is necessity for greater
saringency. Great Britain has the most
comprehensive and sensible laws on the
subject, and we can copy from her with
profit.
AT the present time nearly all the
adulterations are mere dilutions and sub
Situations in the interest of pecuniary gain,
as exemplifed in the dilution of milk with
water, and the substitution of glucose for
cane syrups, so extensively practiced, care
full research showing in nearly all cases
that the presence of absolutely pernicious
ingredients is the result of accident, and
not design. An exception, perhaps may
be noted in the use of alum in damaged
-four. but the effects of this adulteration
upon the human system is as yet 4 matter
of speculative controversy"
Nevertheless, the need for new laws and
,rir,1a,,n
under law in Canada showed eleven
years ago that 51.66 per cent. of the food
and drink articles examined are adulter-
ated Under the enforcement of the law
this was reduced in 1882 to 25 per cent;
yet the punishment there is simply the
publication of the names of the offending
parties. DR.. Beckwith declares that wher-
ever the law is not strictly enforced it is
safe to say that adulterated articles are on
sale even in the most reputable stores
This is not necessarily the case by design,
but because certain articles can be had in
no other condition through the ordinary
channels of trade. This is notably true of
ground spices and condiments. "Fluctua-
tons" he remarks, "in the prices of i'm
ports are counterbalanced by percentage
OF adulteration-a sort of differentiation
which operates nicely for the producer, but
sadly deranges the digestion of the con-
sumner"
The amount of evidence in the posses
sion of health boards of food adulteratiop.
he declares, Is enormous" He cites some
instances Of examination made by his
Board of goods bought in the ordinary way
in the city OF Cleveland 1t found that
about ten pounds of glucose is manufact-
ured in the United States for every man.
woman and child, yet it took two hours
search to find enough in Cleveland for an
analytical experiment. The reference, on
inquiry, was uniformly to candy manufact-
urers, but, to man, they knew nothing of
such commodity, yet one pile of taffy"
tested yielded 70 per cent of glucose. He
adds, however, that glucose is whole
some, but its sale as cane sugar is a fraud
and should be tabooed, as is bull butter.
OF syrups examined, seven specimens
yielded from S97 to 4S.6 per cent. of glu-
eose. The flour in Cleveland was found to
be free from deleterions substances, and in
but one sample of bread was alum found.
Ammonia carbonate in cake was found to
be Hsed
The doctor refers to the New Jersey re-
port oN:adulteration, which shows that in
that Stste the adulteration of spices and
condiments is &c per cent, ground coffee As
per cent, tea IS per cent, lower-grade
sugar, 20 Per cent, syrups 80 per cent,
milk when not inspected) so per cent,
bread . per cent, cream tartar and baking
powder A per cent, butter Substitution of
ether fats Al per cent, cider vinegar
rarely CIDER, olive oil so per cent.
The doctor adds: If figures do not lie
and scientific research deceive, we surely
have IN this table fingsr-board 10 the
path of professional duty for this and
other health boards throughout she United
States"
In California very little attention has